Scaffolding support



Sept. 29, 1942. c, TT 2,297,316

SCAFFOLDING SUPPORT Filed April 21, 194] 2 Sheets- Shet 1 (Panes f7. Ema: 77'

Sept. 29, 1942'. c. 19.. PADG'ETIQ 2,297,316

SCAFFOLDING SUPPORT Filed April 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SCAFFOLDING SUPPORT Charles M. Padgett, Washington, D. 0.

Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,660

6 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in scaffolding supports and more particularly to means for rigidly supporting scaffolds used by lathers, plasterers, paper hangers and/or painters in connection with their respective operations.

The principal object of the invention, generally considered, is to provide a scaffolding support which may be readily manufactured from stock rolled shapes and metal sheets so that they may be disposed to form an adjustable support of an exceedingly rigid character, light in weight, and the principal supporting member being collapsible so as to permit its ready transportation without the sacrifice of rigidity.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a base member, a scaffolding support formed of commercial rolled shapes which is adapted to form a support for one end of a small scafiold or to support in combination with another identical member one or more beams to support a large scaffolding commensurate with the ceiling area adapted. to be covered.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a base member with a guideway adapted to receive and adjustably support therein the vertical standard of a scaffolding engaging member and to maintain such standard in upright adjusted position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a base member formed of two pivotally connected sections, the pivot forming means being adapted to brace and reinforce the upper extremities of the base member and to be rigidly united thereto.

Still another object of my invention is to provide, in combination with a pair of scaffolding supporting members adjustable bracing rods p d to e gage the beam of the scaffold at points intermediate the supporting members so as to maintain the beam in alinement and prevent the sagging thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with the supporting rods, inexpansive clamping means detachably connected to one of the legs of the base member, said means being adjustable longitudinally of the leg and also carrying a clamping member, the angular position of which may be changed to accord with the angular position of the strengthening or supporting rods.

There are other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter from the more detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a scaffolding member constructed in accordance with my in- Vention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar section taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view showing a pair of scafiolding supporting members i position and showing applied thereto the bracing rods for supporting the intermediate portion of the beam.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view showing the scaffolding engaging member provided with a pair of beam sockets by means of which the beam shown in Figure 5 may be rigidly supported by each of the scaffolding supports.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper member or scafiolding' engaging portion of the support.

Figure 8' is a perspective View of the beam clamping members.

Figure 9 is a, view of the base member in side elevation, showing the same collapsed for transportation.

Figure 10 is a side elevational view showing the clamping member for the bracing rods.

Figure 11 is a view partially in elevation and partially in section, the section being taken on the line ll--l| of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a. view partially in section and partially in elevation, the section being taken on the line l2l2 of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the guiding and locking means of the base member.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of the beam engaging portion carried by each of the reinforcing rods. I

Throughout the specification and drawings like parts are designated by like reference characters.

It will be understood that scaffolding supporting members are employed either in pairs where a narrow scaffolding is to be used or in a plurality of pairs where a large scaffolding is employed. In every instance, however, each unit preferably comprises a base member I, a scaffolding support 2 carrying on its upper face 3 means for selectively. engaging either the planking 4 of narrow scaffolding or the beams 5 of a wide scafiolding.

The base member I preferably comprises four uprights or legs 6, each of which may be conveniently formed from an angle bar having a flange at its lower end 1 adapted to engage a floor or foundation 8. The legs are each preferably inclined inwardly and upwardly so as to form a truncated pyramidal portion, all terminating in the same plane. Connected to the two adjacent legs is a pair of plate members 9 and 9', each of which is adapted to engage both flanges of two adjacent legs, a portion of each plate extending toward the opposite pair of legs and extending beyond the center of the apex of the pyramid and being preferably, as shown at I I, tapered downwardly and outwardly therefrom. The upper portions of the plates 9 and 9' are bent over and overlie the upper end of the adjacent legs and each terminates substan-' tially midway the pyramidal top, as shown by-- the reference character I2 in Figure 3.

The plates are substantially identical in form,

the only difference being that the plate 9 is provided with flanged portions I3 adapted to overlie the adjacent side edges I4 of the companion plate 9', said overlapping flanges being provided with registering openings, through which openings extend, on both sides of the top, pivot members I5 by means of which the upper ends of the base'member are pivotally connected. At a point intermediate the ends of each pair of oppositely disposed legs 6 I provide pivotal bars I6, said bars being pivoted to each leg 6 by the pivot members I! and to each other by the pivot members I8. A locking member I9 is provided on one bar and a hook member on the other bar, the hook 29 being adapted to engage the locking member I9 to maintain the bars, in horizontal position and to prevent their movement in one direction beyond the horizontal. It will be readily apparent, therefore, that I have provided a base member which may be collapsed or, by the movement of the bars I6 in a horizontal plane, extended so as to form an exceedingly rigid base membenthe upper portions of the legs of which are surrounded by plate members which serve to maintain the legs in proper assembled position.

Connected, preferably by welding, to the upper face of the plate 9 I provide a'U-shaped clip member 2|, said member being of angle shape and provided at the ends of each flange with a re-entrance portion 22. Within the angle member 2I and preferably united thereto by welding, I provide an angle bar 23, the latter being of such shape as to closely contact the flanges of the angle member 2|. This angle bar 23 extends downwardly through suitably formed slots in the plates 9 and 9' and at its lower end has connected to its outer face an angle clip 2| identical in shape with the angle clip 2|. The angle bar 23 is connected to the inner face of the plate 9 by means of a reinforcing angle bar 24 and an inclined angle bar 25, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The angle bar 23 is preferably provided intermediate its ends with a slot 26 into which a pivoted keeper 2'! is adapted to seat.

The upper member 2 of the scafiolding support comprises an angle bar 28, the size of which permits the same to engage the inner flanges of the angle member 23' and to be received between the same and there-entrant portions 22 of the clips 2I and 2|. One flange 29'of the angle bar 28 is provided with a series of notches 39, any one of which may be placed in register with the slot 26 in the angle bar 23, and by means of the keeper 2'! locked against longitudinal displacement.

It will be obviousfrom the foregoing description that the angle bar 28 will be slidably engaged by the clips2l and therefore maintained in intimate engagement with the inner flanges of the angle bar 23- andby means of the keeper 2!- may be interlocked-withthe angle bar 23 so that the bar 28 may be maintained inany one of a number ofelevated positions.

Adjacent its upper end the flange 29 is separated from its companion flange and turns inwardly, as indicated at 3I. To the other flange of the angle bar 28 I preferably secure, by means of welding, a gusset plate 32, the latter being of greater width than the flange of the angle bar 28 and extending to the full height of the said bar. To the rear face of the gusset plate 32 I secure, preferably by welding, an angle bar 33, the vertical flange 34 of which is adapted to engage the gusset plate and the horizontal flange 35 overlying the upper edge 36 of the gusset plate and extending outwardly thereof and between the flange formed by the inturned portion 3| of the angle bar 28 and the flange 35 of the angle bar 33 I inset an angle plate 31, the horizontal flange thereof overlying the portion 3| and being preferably welded thereto. At the ends of the angle bar 33 I preferably provide the same with upturned flanges 38, the latter being adapted respectively to engage the adjacent edges of the plank 4 when the same are used with my improved scafiolding support.

As will be noted from an examination of Figures 6 and '7, the horizontal flange 35 of the angle bar 33 and the horizontal flange of the angle bar 31 are provided with pairs of registering openings 39, each pair of openings being adapted to receive a stud 40- formed on and projecting from the bottom of the U-shaped beam support 4|. Each of these beam supports 4I may be, and preferably is, provided with a clamping screw 42 adapted, when in use, to clamp the beam 5 in' position.

Secured to the upper face of the plate 9' I provide an angle bar 43 having an opening 44 formed in the up-turned flange 44' and through the opening 44 is adapted to extend a screwthreaded portion of a plunger 45, the portion 45 carrying a nut 46 adapted to engage the upturned flange 44' of the angle plate 43. On the opposite side of this flange of the/plate 43 the plunger member is provided with a pivoted handle 47 by means of which the plunger may be rotated inrespect of the nut 46. The inner end of the plunger is adapted to bear against the angle bar 23 and securely locked in position without reference to the pivoted keeper 21'.

When the span between cooperating pairs of scaffolding supports is great it is desirable to provide means by which the overturning moment caused by the bending of the beam 5 may be counteracted. This may be done in either of two ways. First, by providing on one leg 6 of each pair of scaffolding supports a clamping member designated generally by the reference character 49 (see Fig. 11). Each clamping member is providedwitha flat plate 50 having at one end an inturned flange 5| 1 adapted, when the plate is in position, to engage over the adjacent flange of the leg 6. Each plate 5| is also provided with a slot 52 through which is adapted to exten the shank 53. of a J-bolt 54, said bolt being adapted to embrace and engage the opposite flange of the angle bar of the legB. Splined on the shank 53 of the bolt 54 is a block member 55, the latter having an undercut recess 56 preferably semicylindrical in section, into which is adapted to receive a portion of the rod 51. The block mem- -ber55 is adapted to be maintained in clamping position by means of a handle nut 58. Since the block 55 is splined on the shank 53 of the J-bolt it will be obvious that its angular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the leg 6 may be adjusted in accordance with the angularity of the rod 51, the latter at its inner end being provided with a flattened end 58 by means of which it is connected to a U-shaped clamping member 59, the latter being provided on its opposite flange with a threaded opening 60 to receive a beam clamping screw 6 I.

With one or more rods applied in this position the bending tendency of the beam is counteracted since any depression of the beam would result in shortening the distance between the point of connection of the rod 57 with the beam clamping device 59 and the point of connection with the clamping device 49 mounted on the leg 6.

The second arrangement is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 5 and shows the clamping device 49 applied to the vertical standard 1 of the beam support. In .this position the rod 51 extends substantially parallel with the undersurface of the beam 5 and being clamped to the vertical standard I which projects upwardly from the center of the base I prevents any deflection of the beam from creating a turning movement in respect of the base member I to which the rod is clamped by means of the vertical stand 1.

The operation of the device will, it is believed, be evident from the foregoing description, it being only essential to place the member in the desired position and to force the bars l6 into interlocking engagement. The standard or angle bar 28 of the upper member is then inserted between the clips 2| and 2| and the associated angle bar 23 and the desired elevation of the standard 23 obtained by engaging the keeper within the proper notch 30 of the standard, whereupon planks such as 4 may be supported on the angle bar 34 of the two adjacent scaffolding supports. If it is desired to provide a scaffolding for an entire room the requisite number of pairs of supporting members are positioned and the beam clamping members are then seated on the angle bar 35. The beams 5 are .then inserted and the transverse planks 62 seated on the upper surface of the beam and if desired the bracing rods 51 are connected and the scaffolding is complete.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a metallic base member comprising a pair of pivotally connected plate members embracing and connecting downwardly diverging legs formed of a structural shape, of a scaffolding supporting member including an upright standard, said standard slidably engaging a guiding member rigidly secured to one of said plates of said base member, locking means carried by said guiding member adapted to engage a portion of said scaffolding support to hold the same in any one of a plurality of positions.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a base member comprising a plurality of pairs of upwardly inclined legs, plate members having portions telescopingly related and pivoted together for rigidly connecting each pair of legs adjacent their upper ends, means for connecting said legs against lateral separation, a guiding member rigidly secured to one of said plates and one of said pair of legs, and a scafiold engaging member having a portion seated in and movable longitudinally of said guiding means,

and locking means for selectively holding said scaffold engaging member in any one of a plurality of positions relative to said base member.

3. A device of the character described, the combination with a base member of pyramidal form,

said member comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, the upper ends of which are united by plate members embracing the sides and top of each pair, said plate members being pivotally connected to each other, of vertically arranged guiding means positioned adjacent the vertical axis of said pyramidal base and rigidly secured thereto, and a scaffolding supporting member including a vertical standard adapted to engage said guiding means and being movable longitudinally thereof relative to said base member, means carried by said guiding means for interlockingly connecting the standard and guiding means in any one of a plurality of positions.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pyramidal base member comprising a plurality of pairs of legs, each pair of legs adjacent the upper end thereof being connected by plate members, each plate member being adapted to embrace the top and lateral edges of each pair of legs, said plate members being pivotally connected adjacent their upper ends, of vertically arranged guiding means extending on opposite sides of said pivotal connection and positioned substantially on the vertical axis of said pyramidal base, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said pairs of legs, and a scaffolding supporting member cooperating with said base, said supporting member comprising a horizontally disposed scaffolding engaging member, and a vertical standard slidably engaging said guiding means and adapted to be interlocked therewith in any one of a plurality of vertical positions.

5. In a device of the character described for supporting scaffolding members, the combination with a base member comprising legs arranged in truncated pyramidal form, said member including a, vertically extending guiding member, said guiding member comprising a pair of spaced clips connected by an angle bar, and bracing means connecting said angle bar and some of said legs for supporting said guiding member against movement relative to said base, of a scafiolding supporting member comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the latter being adapted to engage said guiding means and to be int-erlockingly connected with said clips and clamping means for supporting scaffolding members adjacent the center of said horizontal portion of said scaffolding support.

6. A device of the character described, the combination with a truncated pyramidal base member, of plate members forming a substantially horizontal upper face portion, guiding means extending on opposite sides of said face portion, said guiding means comprising a plurality of clip members and an anglebar, means for rigidly uniting said clip members at the opposite ends of said bar, means for uniting one of said clip members to said plate, and a scaiTolding supporting member including a vertical standard, the latter being adapted to slidably engage said bar and be maintained in assembled position by engagement with said clips, means carried by said upper face of said pyramidal base for forcing said standard into intimate engagement with said bar.

CHARLES M. PADGETT. 

